This is a guest post I recently did for Rich DeMMatteo's Corn On The Job Blog.

Are you getting the silent treatment when you send your resume to a company online?  Maybe your resume isn't getting the love it deserves because it's not as shiny as it should be.  And by shiny I mean easily found and full of the proper keywords in the right places.  Here now are my top 5 tips to help your resume shine.

1. First of all, at the top of your resume, in the summary area, you should list the required skills for the job for which you are applying.  Next to each of these, you should list the number of years experience you have with that skill.  If you have no experience with that skill, just say so, or say "knowledge of" or "training in."  Also list any core skill that you possess that may be relevant to that job with the years experience next to it. Ditch the generic summary at the top of your resume.
   
2. Make sure each skill that you have listed at the top is also shown in the body of the resume in the proper job description where you used that skill so that the reader can see where and how you used each skill that you list.  Under each job description, also list a summary of skills used.  Yes, I mean actually list the skills again, along with any other skills that were used during that job. 
   
   After the title and company name for each job description in the body of your resume, write a short paragraph with details about what the company is and does, and what your main job duty was there.  Although you may think it's obvious, not every reader of your resume will understand what that company is and what your role was unless you spell it out specifically.
   
3. In your bullet points under that short paragraph do not just list what you were responsible for.  List accomplishments.  Use numbers and descriptive words to show what your impact was.  "Increased sales" is not enough.  "Increased sales by 15% over 6 months" is better.
   
4. Don't get too fancy with formatting.  Tables, graphics, and special formatting tend to get interpreted poorly by many a company applicant tracking systems (ATS), the database to which you submit or upload your resume online.  PDF format (Acrobat) doesn't always translate well either.  Your best bet is to use the 97-2003 version MS Word (I know!), minimizing tables and graphics.  A Rich Text Format version works well too.  Here is a test.  Take your resume, select all, copy, and paste it into a blank MS Word or text document.  How does it do?
   
5. Now that you have your resume just right, repeat everything from your resume on your LinkedIn profile.  Use the information that you might include in a cover letter in the top summary portion of your LinkedIn profile.  Include your keywords there, too.  Repeat those keywords again in the "skills used" section under each job description, and start them off with your name, like this:
   
   Craig Fisher: Sales, Marketing, Recruiter, Trainer, Certified Linkedin Training, Social Media Strategy, Texas, Speaker, Writer, Profile Optimization
   
   For an example, check out my profile on LInkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/wcraigfisher

In both your resume and Linkedin profile, including keywords that are specific to what you do will help separate yours from the thousands of resumes that are less specific.  Having these listed multiple times, in the proper places, will help it come up at the top of the search results in Google, Linkedin, Job Boards, and company databases.  And it will help the reviewer to quickly find the information they need to push you along to the next step.  Nice and shiny!

 

Craig Fisher is recruitment consultant, social media strategist, and trainer. He helps people and businesses leverage social media, mobile, and other new communication tools to get matched with the *right* customers, the *right* talent, and the *right* jobs. Craig hosts the original social recruiting forum on Twitter, and live conference events, known as TalentNet Live (#TNL).

Connect with him on Twitter/FishDogs.

Facebook is really great for making fun of Charlie Sheen and annoying your friends with PetVille requests.  But it's also a very good place to network for a new job.  I was recently interviewed for an article by Alina Dizik posted on the MSN Careers/careerbuilder web site entitled Can Facebook really help you land a Job.  As usual, I gave the interviewer far more material than she could possibly use in one post.  So I asked if I could post the rest to my blog, and got a big okay.

1) What should you have on your profile if you’re looking for opportunities? - The information page of your Facebook profile should always have your employers listed and brief job descriptions.  Having this kind of background information helps your network there to connect with you and get to know you better.  It will also encourage them to give you business leads since they can easily tell what you do for a living.  Also, tell a little bit of a story in the about me section of your profile page that describes your vocation.  And post something on your status update occasionally that is work related and lets people know what your skills are and if you are looking for new opportunities or business leads.

2) What are some FB tools that you should be using?  You should definitely be using Branchout.  This is a Facebook app that utilizes the employer data on your info page to populate a social graph of business connections.  It tells you who in your Facebook network you know at which companies.  It also gives you the option to import you Linkedin profile for deeper networking.

You should also import your blog posts into your Facebook profile.  There are many apps that do this.  If you don't already have a blog, you can actually start one by using the notes section of your FB profile.  Write about your area of expertise and let your FB friends know you are knowledgeable in your field.

3) The process of finding a job on FB seems a lot less formal than through other avenues, can you tell me any success stories?:  I have hired many people through Facebook.  Many of my customers and job candidates are people who I network with there.  It's a great place to give people a better view of your personality than any other social platform.  And people want to work with people they like.  You can get a good feeling for that in an environment like Facebook.

4)  What are the main things you tell people to do when they are looking for a job and using Facebook?:  Be real.  FB is a more casual environment than Linkedin for instance.  So post things that let people get to know you personally.  Then post a few business-type posts that showcase your expertise.  Finally, a couple of times a week, remind your network of exactly what you do, and what kind of opportunity you are looking for, and ask for referrals.

5) Are there any mistakes or misconceptions about this method of job searching?:  Yes, many people are very cautious about who they connect with on Facebook, and don't want to mix in business on a platform they consider to be just for friends.  But the reality is that you never know where your next lead will come from.  Anyone you are friends with could live next door to your future employer and could potentially make an introduction if they know you are looking and what it is that you do.  So don't be afraid to grow your network and ask for those referrals.  If you keep the "crazy" posts on your page to a minimum (turn off the ability for photos tagged of you to automatically show up on your Facebook wall - see privacy settings), it's a great place to find a job.

6)  Is there anything else you’d like to add?: More than 60% of corporate hires come from referrals.  Facebook is by far the largest social network available.  It has enormous potential to help you get referred to new opportunities.  People like to refer people they know, which makes Facebook the perfect referral platform.  If you aren't using it to help with your job search, you probably should be.

If you have never been in Austin, Texas during SXSouthwest Interactive, you are in for a real treat.  And if you are interested in Social Media as it pertains to recruiting, HR, employer branding, or job search, you have a special reason to be there.  TalentNet Live is throwing an "unofficial" mini-conference on March 11th with some of the top thinkers in the country leading fun sessions to improve your career or help your business attract more targeted talent. 

TalentNet LIVE! "Unofficial" 6th St Edition in Austin will be fun learning, and great networking at a very nice price.  The agenda has just been released!

Presented by

REGISTER NOW! at http://tnlaustin.eventbrite.com/ and use the discount code 6thstreet for a half price registration!

 

9:00 - 9:30  Registration 9:30-9:40 Intro and Kickoff  Craig Fisher

9:40am - 9:55am SHRM's Social Media Campfire The Manager of PR & Social Media Relations at SHRM is shares what world’s largest professional association devoted to human resource management is learning about becoming more social.    Curtis Midkiff @shrmsocmedguy

10:05am - 10:45am The Wild West of Location Marketing / Location Recruiting Location based services are being integrated into nearly every aspect of digital marketing.  Discover how you can use geo-social technology like Fousquare and Facebook Places to promote your company, gain new customers, and target new talent.

Aaron Strout @aaronstrout

Jill McFarland @jillmcfarland

 

Employer Branding Irons Your company's employer brand should start with it's culture, not a slogan.  Learn about what two of the top employer brands in Social Media are doing to keep it fresh and keep it real.

Michael Long @theredrecruiter

Carrie Corbin @thealphafemme

10:55am - 11:35pm Social Sheriffs & Digital Footprints What does it take to be a business leader in social media?  And how do you leverage that leadership to build a targeted, engaged community?  We'll show you how to build credibility and a strong network at the same time.

Rayanne Thorn  @ray_anne

Felix Wetzel @felixwetzel

 

Blog Better Bonanza Some of the top bloggers in recruiting and HR share their tips on how to blog better.  Whether you are just starting out, or want to improve and freshen up an existing blog, this is the place to learn all about it.

Jessica Merrell @blogging4jobs

Maren Hogan  @marenhogan

Trish McFarlane @trishmcfarlane

11:45 - 12:00 Thank You Pardners!  Sponsor Recognition and Door Prizes  12:00 - 1:00 Chuck Wagon

12:15 - 12:45 Linkedin Lasso Demo Just when you thought you had Linkedin all figured out, Linkedin changes the rules.  We'll show you how to play smart, craft a great message, and super-optimize your profile, on the world's best social business platform.

Jason Seiden  @seiden

Craig Fisher  @fishdogs

12:55 - 1:30 Recruiting Rodeo Is it really okay to use social media for recruiting?  We'll tackle this question, and other ethical dilemmas in recruiting, in these fun and fast-flowing break-out groups.  Your opinions are not just requested, they are required!

William Tincup  @williamtincup

Mark Sullivan @sullivanmarkd